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Sea Harrier Collision
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the mid-air collision 19 September between a Royal Navy Sea Harrier and a Dutch F-16; and what plans he has to issue a summary of the inquiry report on this accident. [8598]
Mr. Soames: On 19 September 1996, a Royal Navy Sea Harrier and a Dutch F-16 touched in mid-air while conducting air combat training manoeuvres off Portland Bill. This resulted in damage to the nose of the Sea Harrier and to the tail of the F-16. Neither pilot sustained injuries, and both aircraft recovered safely to RNAS Yeovilton.
A board of inquiry was convened to investigate the incident in conjunction with the Dutch authorities. Once this process is complete, a summary of the findings of the board of inquiry will be placed in the Library of the House.
Christmas Expenditure
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much his Department will spend on Christmas trees and decorations this year; how many Christmas trees will be bought for his Department's headquarters; and what are the type and country of origin of the trees; [7569]
- (2) how much his Department plans to spend on celebrating Christmas and the new year. [7584]
Mr. Arbuthnot [holding answer 6 December 1996]: About £1,300 is to be spent on official Christmas cards. There will also be some associated postage costs. There are otherwise no plans for official expenditure on Christmas and the new year.
Overseas Police Training
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each year since 1980, those overseas countries in which police forces have received support for training from his budget. [8026]
Mr. Soames: Records of training provided in the UK were not held centrally before September 1993 and information before that date is incomplete. There is no record of UK training of civilian police forces being funded by my Department since that date, although training has been carried out, funded either by other Government Departments or the countries themselves.
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Detailed records of training provided overseas are not maintained centrally. However, from the early 1980s until 30 June 1996, my Department did part-fund loan service personnel in the Caribbean who, among other duties, provided training for police special service units in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Caribbean Dependent Territories. Since June the training, though still conducted by members of the armed forces, has been wholly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Convicted Service Men (Cyprus)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the case of the three British service men convicted of manslaughter of the Danish tour guide in Cyprus. [8516]
Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 November 1996, Official Report, columns 199-200.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was his Department's total contribution to the defence costs of three British troops based in Cyprus who were convicted of the manslaughter of a Danish tour guide; and if he will make a statement; [8698]
- (2) if he will list what payments his Department is making to each of the three British service men who are at present serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of the Danish tour guide in Cyprus. [8724]
Mr. Soames: There has been no change in the position outlined in my answers of 20 May 1996, Official Report, column 52, and 4 June 1996, Official Report, column 334.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the terms of the discharge from the British Army that were given to the three British service men convicted of the manslaughter of the Danish tour guide in Cyprus. [8640]
Mr. Soames: The three individuals were discharged in April this year under paragraph 9.404 of Queen's Regulations for the Army for misconduct having been sentenced by a civil court to imprisonment.
RAF Spadeadam
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if military aircraft inbound to the RAF Spadeadam range at low level from the east are permitted to cross the area of directional flow control west of Newcastle in a westerly direction (a) while receiving a radar advisory service from RAF Spadeadam and (b) when not in receipt of any air traffic service. [8587]
Mr. Soames: No. Compliance with flow arrows is mandatory for all low military aircraft, except helicopters flying below 250 feet above ground level, irrespective of whether they are receiving a radar advisory service.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates of deployment and units involved for each deployment of non-flying units to Canadian forces base, Goose bay in 1995 and 1996; and what plans he has for further non-flying unit training deployments to Goose bay. [8595]
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Mr. Soames: Dates of deployment and units involved for each deployment of non-flying units to Goose bay in 1995 and 1996 are as follows:
- 26 January to 26 February 1995: Composite deployment from various RAF regiment units.
14 January to 13 February 1996: Composite deployment from various RAF regiment units.
- 4 January to 9 January 1997: Composite deployment from elements of 5 Airborne Brigade.
Mr. Soames: Royal Air Force aircraft have flown 800 training sorties at Goose bay in 1996; 782 of these were by Tornado GR1 aircraft and 18 by Hercules aircraft.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the squadrons which carried out training at Canadian forces base, Goose bay in 1996; and what were the deployment dates for each squadron. [8594]
Mr. Soames: The information on flying squadron deployments is as follows:
Number 47 Squadron: 14 January to 20 January 1996
Number IX Squadron: 12 April to 3 May 1996
Number 617 Squadron: 3 May to 24 May 1996
Number 17 Squadron: 24 May to 14 June 1996
Number 11 (AC) Squadron: 24 August to 13 September 1996
Number 14 Squadron: 13 September to 4 October 1996
Number 13 Squadron: 4 October to 18 October 1996.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the changes to training, procedures and regulations for Nimrod aircrew following the findings of the board of inquiry into the accident in September 1995. [8597]
Mr. Soames: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Jaguar Aircraft (Accident)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the accident to Jaguar No. XZ396 in 1995; what was the damage category of the aircraft; at what location repairs were undertaken; and on what date the aircraft re-entered service. [8605]
Mr. Soames: As a result of an incident in 1995, Jaguar XZ396 received category 3 damage which was repaired at RAF Coltishall. The aircraft was returned to service on 23 April 1996.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the accident involving a Royal Air Force Jaguar in Alaska on 24 July. [8604]
Mr. Soames: The aircraft was participating in Cope Thunder, a major United States air force exercise designed to provide aircrew with the opportunity to develop
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advanced tactics and procedures in joint air operations, when it crashed some 40 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska. The pilot ejected safely. An RAF board of inquiry has been convened to determine the cause of this accident and consider what action may be necessary to minimise the risk of recurrence.
Joint Rapid Deployment Force
Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of the JRDF to utilise current British Army communications systems. [8349]
Mr. Soames: Units drawn from all three services are assigned to the joint rapid deployment force and are equipped and trained to use their own communications systems.
RAF Boulmer
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capability of RAF Boulmer to provide an air traffic radar service to military aircraft operating at low level over Northumberland. [8590]
Mr. Soames: As an air defence unit, RAF Boulmer is neither manned nor equipped to offer an air traffic radar service to military aircraft operating at low level over Northumberland.
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